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Interneighborhood Council discusses improving neighborhood pages and a clickable map on Bozeman site
Summary
Council members discussed inconsistent neighborhood communications and requested a draft proposal for a centralized, clickable neighborhood map/page on the city website so residents can find neighborhood associations and subscribe to local contacts; the council agreed to collect requirements and produce a funding request for staff/IT work.
Interneighborhood Council members spent a portion of the May 8 meeting reviewing how neighborhood associations currently communicate and exploring a proposal to improve online tools for neighborhoods and residents.
Council members said neighborhood communications vary widely — some rely on email lists, some on WhatsApp or Facebook, and others maintain independent websites. Several representatives noted the city’s neighborhood page already includes a map and links but that the map is not consistently user‑friendly or clickable from other parts of the site. One representative said, “I would love it if you could just click on it and have a link,” describing a desire for an address‑lookup or clickable map that links directly to each neighborhood association’s page.
The council agreed to compile a “wish list” of desired features and to draft a funding request so city staff and information technology resources can be allocated. Suggested functions included: a clickable map or “where’s my neighborhood” address lookup, direct links from the city site to neighborhood association pages, a standardized subpage template for each neighborhood (events, contacts, meeting minutes), and accessible options for neighborhoods that do not want or need a full website.
What was decided: The council did not approve funding at the meeting but agreed to gather requirements and submit a draft proposal; attendees were asked to send ideas to the Community Engagement Coordinator for consolidation and a future work session.
Context: Council members said improved, standardized tools could reduce duplicated effort among neighborhood volunteers and make it easier for residents to find neighborhood contacts and participate in local governance. Any implementation would require staff time and budget for city IT support, and the council recognized those constraints.
